Shoplifters use aluminum to foil store security

A few sheets of aluminum foil is all a shoplifter needs to ruin a retailer's bottom line. "The general public would be very surprised at the sophistication of these criminals and the amount of product they can steal at one time," said Joseph LaRocca, vice president of loss prevention at the National Retail Federation, explaining aluminum blocks stores' security sensors.

Professional shoplifters, he said, have used aluminum-lined shopping bags, strollers, backpacks, trench coats, girdles and pants in order to steal high-dollar items for more than two decades. "It's still one of the easiest ways to defeat the system," Mr. LaRocca said. County police saw that firsthand May 4 when they nabbed two men outside Westfield Annapolis allegedly using aluminum-lined "booster bags" to steal more than $9,000 in women's and children's clothing. "It looked like a regular shopping bag," said Cpl. Fred Reynolds, the arresting officer. He said several layers of aluminum foil were taped to the inside of a plastic bag and that a white bag was taped on top of that to mask the foil. "Whoever made this is serious aboutcrime. They are not just a kleptomaniac," Cpl. Reynolds said.